Tony Miceli

{{short description|American jazz vibraphonist (born 1960)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2013}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Tony Miceli | caption = Tony Miceli and Vibraphone | birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|7|1}} | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician, composer, educator | instrument = Vibraphone, marimba | years_active = 1976-present | associated_acts = Monkadelphia, The Jōst Project, David Friedman, Dave Liebman, Steve Slagle, Dave Stryker, Peter Bernstein, Gerald Veasley | website = {{URL|www.tonymiceli.com}} | image = Tony Miceli and Vibraphone.jpg | alt = Tony Miceli and Vibraphone }}

'''Tony Miceli''' (born July 1, 1960) is an American jazz vibraphonist and educator. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Willingboro, New Jersey.

He is on the faculty of the University of the Arts,<ref name="uarts">{{cite web|title=Tony Miceli {{!}} The University of the Arts|url=http://www.uarts.edu/users/tmiceli|website=www.uarts.edu|accessdate=31 January 2013|language=en}}</ref> Temple University<ref name="temple">{{cite web|title=Boyer College of Music and Dance {{!}} Temple University|url=http://www.temple.edu/boyer/about/people/TonyMiceli.asp|website=www.temple.edu|accessdate=31 January 2013|language=en}}</ref> and University of Southern Mississippi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAT AUG 20 {{!}} The Philly 5 featuring Tony Miceli & V Shayne Frederick |url=https://www.southjazzkitchen.com/event/the-philly-5-featuring-tony-miceli-joanna-pascale/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=South Jazz Kitchen {{!}} Southern Restaurant in Philadelphia, PA |language=en-US}}</ref> He also performs in jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals around the world. He has played jazz standards, jazz interpretations of classical music (a repertoire that includes Villa Lobos, Mozart, and Bach)<ref name="Schermer">{{cite web|last1=Schermer|first1=Victor|title="Mozart: Reloaded": A Jazz and Classical Multimedia "Salon"|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mozart-reloaded-a-jazz-and-classical-multimedia-salon-by-victor-l-schermer.php|website=All About Jazz|accessdate=31 January 2013|language=en|date=5 February 2006}}</ref> Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and other rock musicians from the 1960s.

Miceli has worked with David Friedman, Joe Magnarelli, Dave Liebman, Elio Villafranca, Steve Slagle, Dave Stryker, Peter Bernstein, Gerald Veasley, and Joanna Pascale.

Miceli has performed at the Degu Jazz Festival (Korea), Reading Jazz Festival, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Jazz Standard, the Zinc Bar, 55 Bar, the Wexford Art Center (Ireland), and the Mallet Institute (Düsseldorf Germany). He is the creator and moderator of the Vibraphone Community website.

==Early life and education== Miceli was born in Cincinnati in 1960 and grew up in Willingboro Township, New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tony Miceli – Jazz Philadelphia |url=https://jazzphiladelphia.org/hometown-hero-tony-miceli/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=jazzphiladelphia.org}}</ref> He began to play classical guitar in his youth before later turning to piano, trumpet and drums. He began playing vibraphone in 1978 as a student the University of the Arts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Live Sessions: Tony Miceli |url=https://livesessions.npr.org/artists/tony-miceli |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Live Sessions}}</ref> After graduating with a bachelor's degree in performance in 1982, he began a career that included composing, recording, teaching, and performing.

==Career== In the 1980s and early-1990s, Miceli toured extensively through Germany with the percussion group “Mallet Madness”. Featuring Miceli on vibraphone with Ron Von Strattun (drums), Bernd Zinzius (Bass) and Christoph Eidens (vibes and marimba), Mallet Madness played jazz versions of rock songs, in a trio reminiscent of the guitar trios of the 60's, with vibraphone replacing guitar as the feature instrument. The group played clubs and festivals throughout Continental Europe including Schlag, Wekstatt, Jazz Fruhling, Deutsches Percussion, Symposium, Stadtgarten Restaurant, Rundfunk, K14, Blue Stage, Mulheimer Jazz Club, and the Essen Jazz Festival.

In 1995, Miceli started "The Rock Band" with bassist Kevin MacConnell and Drummer Harry "Butch" Reed. A result of Miceli's early Rock Music influences, the group covered several British Invasion bands including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, and Jimi Hendrix.<ref>Anderson, Bruce. (February 3, 1995) "Band bridges gap between rock and jazz". Courier Post, p 9E, 19E.</ref> This group ultimately became "The Jōst Project" when vocalist Paul Jost was added to the lineup in the 2000s.<ref>[http://www.pauljostmusic.com/about/about-the-jost-project/ About the Jost Project] Paul Jost Music Website 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2013.</ref>

In the late 1990s, Miceli created the Philadelphia-based group Monkadelphia, a group "dedicated to performing the music of Thelonious Monk in an innovative, contemporary way."<ref>Schermer, Victor L. [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tony-miceli-mallet-magic-tony-miceli-by-victor-l-schermer - Mallet Magic]. All About Jazz website, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.</ref> Playing Monk's work, along, with Chris Farr on saxophone, Tom Lawton on piano, Micah Jones on bass, and Jim Miller on drums, was a "difficult challenge which they embrace with vitality, panache, and sophistication."<ref>Schermer, Victor L. [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/monkadelphia-all-monk-all-the-time-tony-miceli-by-victor-l-schermer - Monkadelphia: All Monk, All the Time]. All About Jazz website, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.</ref> The group recorded a selection of 11 tracks called simply "Monkadelphia" in 2000 (Dreambox Media).<ref>Monkadelphia [http://www.dreamboxmedia.com/monk.htm Monkadelphia] Dreambox Media Website 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2013.</ref>

In 2009, Miceli's group Monkadelphia released ''Crepuscle'', a follow-up to ''Monkadelphia''.

Miceli has performed at several jazz festivals and clubs, including the Hilton Head Island Jazz Vibes Showcase in 2019 with Team Omega; the Daegu Festival in Daegu; the International Percussion Festival in Lima; the Limerick Jazz Festival in Ireland; and the Montreal International Jazz Festival. He has also played at the Jazz Bridge Concert Series, Peace Day Kickoff, Rhythm Festival, Please Touch Museum Jazz Festival, Longwood Gardens Festivals, Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Somers Point Jazz Festival, Rehoboth Beach Festival, and Vail Jazz Festival.

As a group leader, sideman, and recording artist, he has performed with David Liebman, Jimmy Bruno, Ken Peplowski, John Blake, Diane Monroe, John Swana, Joe Magnarelli, Steve Slagle, Larry McKenna, Gerald Veasley and others. He makes regular appearances at Chris's Jazz Café and performs annually at the Percussive Arts Society convention in Indianapolis.

== Discography ==

===As leader=== * ''Thelonious 4 Meets Tony Miceli'' (Dot Time, 2013) * ''Alone Together'' with Diane Monroe (2014) * ''4,042 Miles'' (Audio & Video Labs, 2015)

'''As member''' * ''Monkadelphia'', Monkadelphia (Dreambox Media, 2000) * ''Crepuscule'', Monkadelphia (Dreambox, 2010) * ''Can't Find My Way Home'', The Jōst Project (Dot Time, 2013) * ''Looking East'', The Philly 5 (2003) * ''On a Sweet Note'', Electric Mingus Project (2003)

===As guest=== * ''Band Shapes'', Olivier Hutman (2002) * '' 'Round in Circles'', Ron Kerber (Dreambox, 2004) * ''Excerpt This!'', Adam Unsworth (2006) * ''So in Love with You'', Rosie Carlino (2006) * ''Places'', Mark Knox (2007) * ''Maplewood Avenue'', Jimmy Bruno (2007) * ''Once Upon a Time'', Katie Eagleson (2007) * ''Medicine Man'', Tom Tallitsch (2008) * ''Thankfully'', Gina Roche (2011)

==See also== * Vibraphone * List of vibraphonists

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|www.tonymiceli.com}} * [http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=3156#.UQrBhlpYx6M Tony Miceli ''All About Jazz'' profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miceli, Tony}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:American jazz vibraphonists Category:University of the Arts (Philadelphia) faculty